A Loss of Heart
by PhoenixBlossom
Summary: Naraku is defeated, but with his death comes another... much more unexpected. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, any of its characters or settings.

Dedicated to my best friend, Amanda.

"_No!" Sango screamed as she saw the large root like muscles of Naraku shoot through the Houshi's heart. His faltering cry of agony could be heard throughout the field as the large muscle structure pulled out of the monk's body and his person fell to the ground limply. _

Sango woke up in her bed, gasping for breath. Her heart was pounding and tears were streaming down her cheeks endlessly. She buried her face in her hands as the water flowing from her eyes refused to stop. That moment… it refused to stop haunting her. Only a few days ago she had felt the monk's hands on her bodice and a slap could be seen on his face… that was… until Naraku had come.

Her body shook violently and her eyes sealed themselves shut. Her low whimpers could he heard reflecting off the nearby stream and rocks. She remembered the first time she had met the monk, the first time he had caressed her behind, the first time he had asked her to bear his children…

At those periods of times, she had hardly known the Houshi, but now she wished she had never known him, if it would make things easier now. Though she never admitted it to him, she… she had feelings for the monk. Feelings that were more than just friendly.

She regretted the decisions she had made during the last few months. Maybe if she had been smarter, wiser, if she had just… said something about how she felt, things wouldn't have ended up this way!

"_Houshi-sama, Houshi-sama!" Sango screamed as she ran over to the monk, tears blowing behind her as she fell before the man she felt deeply for. "Houshi-sama…" Her voice was soft as it trailed, tears streaming uncontrollably. _

_The monk's chest slowly rose and fell, faltering with every beat. His eyes slowly opened as he smiled weakly at Sango, his hair falling loose for the first time in months. He weakly lifted his hand and cupped it on Sango's cheek, but with a final gasp for breath, his hand fell lifelessly along with his body. _

Sango shook her head and screamed as the moments in time flashed before her as if reliving every second of it.

_Sango screamed throughout the night, her voice surrounding the area. She picked up her Hiraikotsu and stood in front of the Houshi's body, and threw her boomerang bone with all her force, her voice ringing. The weapon slashed across Naraku's chest, tearing open the flesh. _

Sango fell to the rough earth beneath her and curled into a ball as her tears slowly drifted her back to unconsciousness. The reoccurring dream appeared into her mind and as she was about to force herself from her sleep as she felt a grasp pulling her body back to the dream state.

**'What's going on?' Sango asked herself, as the whiteness surrounding her faded into a beautiful scene filled with lightness and glory. Sango glanced around, to see that she sat under a beautiful Sakura Blossom tree. She saw a few of the blossom begin to fall and she stretched out her hand as one lightly floated into her palm.**

**The kimono sleeve covering her arm was slightly pulled back as she reached forward, and she quickly drew back her hand in shock, the blossom dropping from her hand. She pulled back the sleeve of her kimono to see that the monk's old prayer beads lay on her arm.**

**Sango bit her lip as she quickly grasped the beads and began to cry into their memories. She suddenly felt a familiar presence lift up her chin, and wipe the tear away lightly with their thumb.**

**Sango's eyes widened as she looked into the hazy vision of Miroku. Another light tear fell down her cheek, but this time the monk let it fall. He smiled warmly into the girl's face as she threw her arms around his neck, holding him close. "Houshi-sama…" She whispered into his robes.**

**"Sango, listen to me." Miroku said, grasping her shoulders and slowly pushing her away, but keeping a close grip on her kimono top. "I can only stay for a short while, but it is imperative that I speak to you."**

**Sango nodded and let a few more silent tears escape her eyes. "Sango, listen carefully. I love you. Please. think of me as I am now, not as the man I was in my moment of utmost weakness."**

**A small tear of joy slipped down Sango's cheek and Miroku's lips brushed it away. "Remember, you defeated Naraku. You, InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo… you are al still alive and well. You managed to save your brother. Treasure that."**

**For a moment, pure joy filled the taijiya's heart, as those three words lingered on her heart and his lips on her cheek… 'I love you'…**

**"I must go now, Sango, but I will always be with you." He placed his hand over her heart as his image slowly began to fade, but she grasped his wrist, pleading for him to wait. He stared into her eyes as she looked up at him and said "I love you too, Houshi-sama."**

**The monk put his arm around her shoulder and let her cry into his shoulder, but his time grew short and he slowly began to fade into the air, leaving Sango to cry into the earth of the dream realm.**

Sango's eyes slowly opened and she blinked to see that the prayer beads were still wrapped around her forearm. As the first sun's rays gleamed off the beads reflections, she looked up to see the horizon, the new day, and she smiled weakly into the open air.

It was time to go home… to InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo… Kohaku too. It was time to move on, and hold close those memories that meant more to her than what the earth could provide.


End file.
